updated 03:00 pm EST, Thu March 6, 2008

Circuit City HD DVD return

Big-box electronics retailer Circuit City is extending a grace period exclusively for HD DVD buyers, notes the Associated Press. Beginning today, the company will now accept returns of HD DVD players within 90 days of purchase, instead of the normal 30-day period. Buyers will only receive store credit instead of cash, however, and there is no equivalent policy for HD DVD movies, which are useless without their intended player.

The policy is likely intended to appease angry customers, while simultaneously switching them to the Blu-ray format, helmed by Sony. Blu-ray became the only optical HD format (officially) on the market on February 19th, when Toshiba discontinued HD DVD due to poor sales and an overwhelming shift in support. Both HD DVD players and movies continue to be sold in some stores, however, as businesses attempt to clear inventory and recover costs.